This invention relates to a carton for cutting and dispensing sheet material with a specially designed cutter and, more particularly, to such a carton and cutter which cuts sheet material from a roll so that the sheet material lies flat after being cut.
Heretofore, it has been known to cut sheet material from roll stock by pulling one side of the film up or down to effect tearing across the cutter blade progressively from one end to another. Difficulties have been experienced, expecially when plastic films are being cut, in that the film does not lay flat against a receiving surface because of air which is trapped beneath the film and because of static friction.
Another problem which has been experienced in the cutting of film is that it has been necessary to employ flush pressure points or foam pads in order to hold the film in a desired position for cutting. These measures have tended to add to the cost of the composite article and in some instances pose sanitary problems, especially when food products are to be encapsulated by the sheet material.
Still another problem, especially where the sheet material is foil, such as aluminum foil, is that some of the cutter constructions tend to sever very small portions of the foil which are referred to in the art as "fines" and which pose a problem especially where the fines have a deleterious effect with respect to the articles being wrapped by the sheet material.
Additional problems encountered in prior art devices for severing sheet material include the tendency of the sheet material slipping back into the carton after a portion thereof has been severed. Other desired features of such a box cutter which sometimes have been lacking in prior art devices are that they should be economical to produce and easily assembled.